


One Voice

by PinkRangerV



Series: What Fourth Wall? [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Hurt Sam Winchester, Matchmaking, Sam gets puppies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-06-26
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:42:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1851721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkRangerV/pseuds/PinkRangerV
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone wants to let our favorite hero know: He is loved. He is wanted. And he is a hero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Puppies

**Author's Note:**

> So if you listen to the Wailing Jennys' One Voice, that's this things' song. Morgan is me; other people are referred to by the names they gave me. Basically I asked a bunch of people on Tumblr if they wanted to hang out with Sam\hurt Dean, and a lot more people wanted to hang out with Sam, so this is getting published first. All the cuddly awesome stuff!

There was a bright flash of light, and Sam blinked.

 

Dean was...who knew where, and he was at what looked like some kind of pet adoption fair. He had no idea how he’d gotten there--

 

“Mister?” A little voice asked. Sam looked down. The girl was small, brunette, and looking hopefully up at him. “Can you help me pick a puppy?”

 

Sam glanced around. ...Well, he didn’t know what the flash was, but there were a lot of mirrors around, he was in the same place, his EMF meter was reading normal, and Dean had a tendency to wander off. Dean would circle back. “Sure, kiddo. Where’s your parents?”

 

The little girl very firmly took his hand and led him over to the puppies, where a woman who was probably the girl’s sister, taller than the little girl and plumper, smiled. “Hey, sorry about that. I thought she was going for my brother.”

 

“No, no, it’s fine.” One of the puppies decided to leap free of the cage, and Sam caught him effortlessly. “Whoa, buddy, let’s not go running off.”

 

The woman sighed. “Thanks. Trying to keep this lot in line is--hang on, no, buddy, hold him like this.” The woman turned and adjusted a little boy’s arms so he held the cat without getting clawed.

 

“Want some help?” Sam offered, trying not to grin.

 

“ _Please_.” The woman looked at the kids. “If you could keep the puppies from escaping I would love you forever.”

  
“No problem.” Sam said cheerfully. Dean would show up soon, and until then he could wrangle puppies. “C’mon, bud, let’s get you back with your friends.”


	2. Izzy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter titles not involving me will be labled with people's names so they can find them more easily. Enjoy! :)
> 
> I'd also like to note, for anyone who needs it: Sam is not, mentally, in a great place right now. His reaction to comfort and support is 'HOLY FUCK SOMETHING IS HORRIBLY WRONG'. From here on out his issues are going to come to light, and it might be painful. So you know ahead of time. :)

“Awww, he’s adorable!”

 

Dean hadn’t showed up yet, but Sam was having fun. This was an older girl, more like a woman, but she cooed over the puppy Sam was holding happily. Sam grinned. “Yeah, this one’s Trouble. Not kidding, that’s his name.” That, or the lady in charge was incredibly sarcastic. He hadn’t figured it out.

 

“Awww! Can I..?” The girl gestured, and Sam handed her Trouble. “He is _so cute_.” The girl gushed. “You’re so sweet for helping out.”

 

“Thanks.” Sam chuckled sheepishly. It was kind of embarrassing how everyone seemed so happy around him.

 

“Uh, you’re Sam, right?” The girl said shyly. “I’m Izzy. Uh, my friend, she, uh, said you might be…”

 

Sam tried not to flinch. His smile went wooden anyway. Damnit, not another Becky--

 

“Sorry. I’m not some creepy stalker or something, I promise, I just, um, I wanted to say thanks. For saving the world.” Izzy blurted.

 

A puppy tried to dart between them, and Sam scooped it up. “Jeeze, you...c’mere.” He climbed into the playpen to dump the puppy back, then reached out to catch Trouble as Izzy yelped, the dog squirming from her arms. “The books kinda exaggerate.” Sam told Izzy quietly.

 

Izzy frowned. “You stopped Lucifer, right? And you go around saving people, and you’re, I mean, _you’re here_. A _total stranger_ asked you to help with the puppies and you were just like ‘yeah sure’. How sweet can you _be_?” Izzy was grinning by the end. “Seriously, you’re awesome!”

 

No. No he wasn’t. Chuck was crazy and wrong and this wasn’t how it worked this was bad bad badbad _bad_ \--

 

“Can I hug you?”

 

…

 

“What?” Sam croaked.

 

Izzy opened her arms and smiled. “Hug?”

 

Sam hesitated, then reached out carefully. The girl just...hugged him.

 

It was really nice.

 

“Seriously. You’re awesome.” Izzy told him again.

 

“Thank you.” Sam said. It was all he could think.

 

When they parted, Izzy grinned. “Oh, hey, there’s someone I want you to meet! Martha! Martha, where--Martha!” Izzy waved like a lunatic and Sam was caught between freaking out and trying not to laugh. The woman who walked up was dark-skinned and wore a red leather jacket and smiled a bit sheepishly.

 

“Martha Jones.” She said, offering a hand.

 

“Sam. Uh, Sam Winchester.” There really wasn’t much point lying, not that Sam didn’t _seriously_ consider it.

 

“My pleasure.” Martha yelped as a dog jumped at her, and Sam helped usher the dog down, and found that both he and Martha were laughing. “I swear, I think that guy wants to go on home with you.”

 

“Heh, I don’t really have room for a dog…” Sam pointed out a bit sheepishly.

 

“Well, that’s all right.” Martha said with a grin. “I’ll take care of him for you and you can visit, how about that?”

 

Sam tried to come up with something and managed _‘...am I hallucinating?’_

 

“My friend’s a bit of a matchmaker.” Martha said under her breath, glancing at where Izzy was happily playing with a puppy. “She means well, just…”

 

“Ah.” Sam nodded.

 

“But really. You should have a dog, Sam.” Martha said, straightening and holding up a golden puppy. “See? He loves you!”

 

Sam caught the puppy as he squirmed free and laughed. “I don’t know, he might like you too…”

 

“We’ll just have to share him, then.” Martha declared. “I know a great cafe that lets pets in, it’s just down the street...want to come take a break with me?”

 

“I’m, uh, kind of waiting on my brother.” Sam said sheepishly.

 

Martha fake-pouted. “What a shame. Well, guess I’ll just have to stick around and help you, then.”

 

Sam smiled.

 


	3. Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry...it felt unrealistic not to have someone explaining what's going on to Sam, so I just went ahead and played the asshole.

It was somewhere around mid-afternoon when Martha and Izzy when to get coffee and the brunette woman sat next to Sam.

 

“How much do you know about string theory?”

 

“Uh?” Another fan, probably...but it wasn’t quite as weird as before. Izzy had shown Sam entire _blogs_ about him, about how everyone, for who knew _what_ reason, seemed to love him. And hate Dean. And that part…

 

Words like ‘abuse’ and ‘tyrant’ and other things, worse things, Sam filed as ‘these are really crazy but well-meaning fangirls’. (Great. Now he was even thinking in Tumblr terms.)

 

“One of the possibilities--there’s other branches of science that support it--is that there are multiple universes.” The brunette considered. “Ever read Terry Pratchett?”

 

“Yeah.” That was more familiar. “Love him.”

 

“Night Watch? Lu-Tse’s explanation of the multiverse?” The woman continued.

 

Sam had a sudden lump in the pit of his stomach. “...Uh. Yes.”

 

The woman nodded. “He was dealing with time, but universes...every story, everything that’s conceivable--it’s real somewhere.” The woman smiled. “So, hi, meet me, I’m Morgan, that’s in no way my real name but I’m a little paranoid and calling me ‘Pinky’ isn’t going to make sense to anyone.”

  
“...Where’s Dean?” It was the only thing Sam could think along with very familiar horror. Of course it was a trap, of course this wasn’t what it seemed--

 

“Not here.” Morgan said firmly. “And he’s not going to be anywhere near you until he’s _safe_.”

 

Sam sighed. Great. “Look, I know you mean well, but he’s not _abusing_ me or something. He’s just...Dean.”

 

Morgan nodded. “Okay. He’s also a Knight of Hell and thinks hitting you is acceptable even if you’re in a medical crisis.” She hesitated, then added, “You saved the world, Sam. You help _so many_ people. If you want to go home, if you really want that…”

 

She handed him a small, glowing pendant. It looked like a drop of moonlight.

 

“Drop it, or smash it, or anything. As long as you intend to break it, it’ll open a doorway home.” Morgan told him. “But you can stay as long as you like here. No monsters, no magic. Just puppies, little kids, and people who want to help you.” She paused. “Please.”

 

Sam had no idea how he ended up in these messes.

  
He nodded anyway.


	4. Mary and John

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, not those two--Mary just asked me to include the names since it was a bit ironic. Sadly, I don't know enough about John to have him doing anything. Flowers and explanations of their meanings provided by the wonderful Mary, whom I am totally not going to try to buy a thousand things from if I ever get money. :p

Sam looked over the flower stall. The fact that it was run by people apparently named Mary and John was weirdly hilarious. He wondered if...but no, Mary wasn’t blonde and John didn’t look like his father, they probably weren’t this universe’s version of his parents.

 

“Hey, what’s up?” A woman--Mary, probably--asked.

 

Sam smiled dryly. “You wouldn’t believe me.”

 

Mary grinned. “Try me.”

 

“Okay.” Sam was more just _done_ with this than he thought, because he actually said, “I’m from an alternate dimension and some lunatics just pulled me through here so they could yell at my brother. And my brother’s a demon.”

 

Mary considered, nodded, and then started pulling flowers together. “Okay then.”

 

“What, you don’t think I’m crazy?”

 

Mary grinned. “I’ve seen _way_ crazier.” She handed Sam the bouquet. “On the house. Want to talk about it?”

 

Sam studied the bouquet. A lot of purple, some white, a dark crimson rose, and some yellow blooms. It was...kind of pretty. “I just said my brother’s a de...you’re one of Morgan’s, aren’t you.”

 

“Kind of. This is our thing.” Mary gestured at her booth. “I mean, I was hoping you’d stop by, but we have work, you know?”

 

Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose.

 

Honestly, though…”Do you have demons here?” Sam asked. “Demonic possession?”

 

“Nope.” Mary said. “Sounds horrifying.”

 

Sam laughed hollowly. “That’s one way of putting it. And then my brother…” He hesitated.

 

“Became one? You mentioned.”

 

“Dumbest. Idea. Ever.” Sam blurted. “I mean, look, don’t tell him I said that--or Morgan, she’s probably gonna try to _kill_ him--”

 

“No, no, it’s fine. All confidential.” Mary reassured him. “Promise.”

 

Sam sighed. “I just...wish he’d _listen_ , you know? Just...let me be there for him. He tries to be there for me, and I wish he’d let me do the same.”

 

“That must be horrible.” Mary agreed.

 

Sam snorted. “It’s _infuriating_. I mean, what are brothers for? We’re supposed to be partners, you know? And here he goes and treats me like a little kid who can’t even take care of himself.”

 

Mary considered, then tapped one of the flowers. “These are white camellias, for pride. This is heather, for admiration and strength. This one is sweet pea, It’s sort of a bittersweet flower meaning goodbye and thank you for your company. Not ‘goodbye’ like right now, just thank you.”

 

Sam nodded slowly.

 

Mary kept tapping the flowers. “This one is a white carnation, it means innocent, and when given by a woman, good luck,” She grinned, and Sam grinned back, “That’s stock, it means...kind of ‘you’ll always be beautiful to me’, honeysuckle for happiness…” The grin left as she tapped the rose. “And this means maternal love and mourning both.”

 

Sam considered that.

 

“Flowers have their own language. The others can kind of suck at saying what we mean, but this? This is what we want to tell you. That all these things happening to you--they aren’t your fault. There’s nothing wrong with you. And what Dean did isn’t okay.”

 

Sam touched the flowers.

 

“I’m still not really okay with kidnapping me.”

 

“...Sorry.” Mary said sheepishly.

 

“...Thank you.”

 

Mary smiled and took Sam’s hand, gently squeezing it. “Anytime.”

 


	5. Avani

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written by the wonderful Avani herself. SHE IS AWESOME OKAY AND SHE WRITES AWESOME STUFF AND I HAVE THE COOLEST SISTER FROM ANOTHER MISTER EVER.

“Who do I have to kill to get a good salad around here?”

 

Sam’s head shot up at the voice, and he saw a skinny girl wearing a lime green tunic with black designs and black leggings that bunched up at the ankles. He’d thought for a moment - but no. _She_ was gone, for good. It didn’t matter, anyway.

 

“Uh, I think there’s a stall back that way…”

 

The girl looked in the direction he pointed dubiously. “Ehhh… fuck it, I’m getting falafel instead.”

 

“I’m not sure -” Sam broke off, blinking.

 

The girl had two baskets in her hands, rich brown balls made from chickpea flour surrounded by lettuce and onions and a small cup of what was probably Tahini yoghurt.

 

“One of Morgan’s friends?” he asked warily, trying to keep the tiredness out of his voice. They were… nice, nicer than anyone had been to him in a long time, but it was all a bit much.

 

“Yeah,” the girl replied wryly, “I think we’re technically sisters? Metaphorically? Metaphysically? Weird magicky stuff, all her forte, I just stick to science.”

 

“You just materialised two orders of falafel out of thin air,” Sam pointed out. “I think you’ve got a good handle on the magic stuff.”

 

“ _Science_ ,” The girl insisted firmly, shoving one of the baskets towards him. “All magic is science we just haven’t understood yet. Also, you want to eat? You look hungry, though I’m usually a pretty crappy judge of these things.”

 

“... I could eat, yeah,” Sam said, taking the food and shifting sideways so she could sit down beside him. “So, uh, what brings you here?”

 

“Mmf -” the girl grimaced as Sam asked as she took a bite of her food. The swallowed quickly and cleared her throat. “Uh - sorry. I’m, uh, I guess I’m looking for someone.”

 

Sam’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Morgan?”

 

The girl chuckled. “Nah, I can find her whenever I want, we basically live in each others’ brains. I’m looking for this guy, actually. I need to thank him for something.”

 

Sam took a bite of his own food as he watched his companion’s expression. It was good - really good, freshly made and not too dry, with just a hint of salt. He’d had something like it before, at Stanford, where there was a Mediterranean restaraunt down the street from his and Jess’ apartment. The girl beside him looked wistful, fidgeting with her necklace and looking to the side in memory.

 

“Who’s the guy?” Sam asked before he could stop himself, “Maybe I can help you find him.”

 

The girl smiled at him. “It’s fine, I think I know where he is.”

 

“He, uh, must be something special, to put a look like that on your face - not that I’m prying, or anything.”

 

The girl’s smile stretched into a full grin. “Yeah, he really is. He, ah… I met him senior year of high school, I think. It was a rough time for me, I was stuck in hick-country, Indiana, and I wanted _out_. I was going stir-crazy in school, my relationship with my Mom was… tenuous, at best… And this guy, he - he had it so much worse than me. Family life sucked, he moved around a lot, even more than I did - and let me tell you, I hadn’t lived more than two years in any one place since I was _eight_.”

 

Sam chuckled slightly. “Yeah, moving around that much as a kid can be rough.”

 

“And this guy? He made it into an Ivy League school. Not just that, but he _thrived_ in college. And I remember him talking about how once you’re eighteen, you’re out, no matter how much things at home sucked, you had college and your whole life ahead of you, and it was okay if you left your family behind. You could get out. I saw that, and it was… it was everything I needed to hear back then. I was this scared, trapped immigrant kid, and I thought - if he can do it, why can’t I?”

 

Something pinged at the back of Sam’s mind, but he smiled gently. The girl’s face had come alive when talking about this friend of hers. “He sounds like a great guy.”

 

“More than,” the girl agreed, “He’s the best man I know. It wasn’t just that, y’know? His life went to _shit_ when he was 22 - that’s how old I’ll be in a couple days. He lost everything, and what he did? What he thought about? Was helping people. He got right back up, and he _endured_. Loss after loss, fight after fight, even with his family being a bunch of words I can’t say in polite company, he just kept going, kept hoping, kept believing in the good in the world. It’s inspiring, y’know? It’s… It’s comforting, to know that there are guys like that in the world.”

 

Sam nodded, taking a bite of his own food. There was a time when he wished he could be like that, but that was so far gone, he was so tainted by now.

 

“And even worse, his _whole_ life he’d been manipulated by other people, pushed into becoming something he wasn’t, because two cosmic dickbags decided to throw a temper tantrum about who Daddy loved more.”

 

Something else pinged at the back of Sam’s mind and he stilled. Was she talking about…

 

“And you know what this guy did? _He beat them_.”

 

Sam looked at her, and found her staring him in the eye, expression fierce. “He _beat_ them, and he suffered for it for _so long_ , and when he got back, he just kept fighting. Just kept saving people, people who _didn’t even know_ what all he’d sacrificed.”

 

Oh God, she was. Sam’s voice croaked. “That’s not…”

 

The girl’s lips twitched up. “Don’t argue with a scientist, Sam, you won’t win.”

 

Sam inclined his head.

 

“And he kept helping me, kept inspiring, all these years, when I needed it most. I saw him get out of a toxic relationship, I saw him love and forgive and grieve, and set boundaries - and I thought, maybe I could do it, too, because Lord knows some of my relationships weren’t all that great. But I saw him, I saw him stand up for himself, I saw how much his brother hurt him, and - well, sometimes seeing it in others makes it clearer, don’t you think?”

 

Sam wasn’t sure he was still breathing.

 

“You know what this guy’s name is?”

 

Sam closed his eyes, shaking his head. Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it -

 

“Sam Winchester.”

 

Sam’s eyes shot back open and he fought down his instinctual panic, because she was _wrong_ , that wasn’t _him_ , it wasn’t like that -

 

The girl touched the back of his fingers lightly, her expression gentle. “You’re a hero, Sam.”

 

“I’m not, it wasn’t like that - I was just cleaning up my mess - why do you all think this is so much more than it is?”

 

The girl laughed, softly, and somewhat sadly. “You saved the world, Sam. You’re a hero. And I know you don’t want to hear it, maybe you _can’t_ hear it right now, because I’ve been in dark places like that, too, but you deserve so much better.”

 

Sam laughed bitterly, grabbing the out when he saw it. “This about Dean being an ‘abuser’ again? Because he’s not -”

 

The girl sighed. “No, it’s not. I know you don’t want to hear that right now, because he’s your brother, and you love him. I never wanted to hear it, either. But - just let me say this. You. Deserve. Better. And I know it’s hard, and I probably don’t have much business giving life advice to a guy thirty-plus years, but your boundaries are _valid_. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Your boundaries, your feelings are valid. And most importantly - most _difficultly_ \- you’re not responsible for Dean’s feelings.”

 

Sam stared at her.

 

The girl gave him a crooked smile. “Just - think about it. It’ll sink in one day, and you’ll feel like you can breathe again.”

 

Sam swallowed and nodded. What else could he do?

 

The girl vanished her basket and stood, dusting off her hands. “I gotta go find Morgan and throw water balloons at her for feeding my bunnies drugs again.”

 

 _“That wasn’t me!”_ Morgan’s voice came from nowhere. _“...intentionally!”_

 

The girl looked up, shaking her finger in warning. “It was _totally_ you, and _I will find you_. I know where you sleep!”

 

Sam snorted, amusement rising up through the storm of emotions inside him. The girl looked back at him with a grin, shrugging. “Sisters. What can you do?”

 

Sam remembered his prank war with Dean and smiled faintly. “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

 

The girl’s smile gentled again, and she looked at Sam as if he was something precious, something _worthy_. “And Sam?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thanks. For everything.”

 

“... You’re welcome.”

 

She grinned again, and when Sam blinked, she was gone.

 

A piece of paper fluttered onto his lap, and Sam looked down.

 

_Name’s Avani, btw, because I’m apparently pants at manners, too. E-mail address and Tumblr URL on the back, hit me up if you ever want to talk. Take care, Hero._

 


	6. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam starts getting it. Kind of.
> 
> (I thought about putting my own story here, because Avani was brave enough to do hers. I am not. So, have an interlude instead.)

“...Morgan?”

 

She didn’t bother hiding that she teleported, just appeared, a nice, normal, plump young woman. Except she was possibly insane or…

 

Or a sister.

 

“Is that why?” Sam asked. “You did this for your sister?”

 

Morgan shook her head. “It was for you.” She smiled. “Don’t get me wrong. Most of us, we have stories like Avani’s. But...this, this is for you.” She paused, then said, “There’s a key in your pocket, and an RV over there without a license plate. Figured you’d need somewhere to crash if you wanted to stay, and I kidnapped you, so.”

 

Sam considered, and tried not to smile. He’d have done more for Dean. “Thank you.”

 

Morgan shrugged and vanished.

 


	7. Rachel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stargazing and Christianity! Last chapter before Sam goes home, sadly. Dr. Dani is from the TV show Necessary Roughness, and yes Sam needs a therapist and some anti-depressants *grumbles about horrible mental health practices in SPN*

Sam was watching the night sky from the RV steps--an RV stocked with vegan food, various books on theology and magic, and a note that a Dr. Dani was going to come over the next day and please talk to her she’s great--when a girl came up and smiled shyly.

 

“Hey.” Sam scooted over. “Want to watch the sky?”

 

The girl eagerly nodded. “Yes please. I’m Rachel.” She sat and offered a hand. Sam took it, grinning.

 

Their hands stayed, and Sam glanced down, but Rachel let go instantly, looking at him with puppy eyes. So Sam smiled and gently laced his fingers around her smaller ones.

 

They stayed quiet for a while until Sam said, “I am ridiculously lucky.”

 

“You deserve it.” Rachel told him. “Don’t forget, you’re beautiful inside and out.”

 

Sam shook his head, but he was grinning. “Sure.”

 

“I mean it.” Rachel smiled.

 

Sam smiled back. “That’s a pretty cross.”

 

“Thanks.” Rachel touched her necklace.

 

“I used to go to church, but…” Sam shrugged.

 

Rachel hesitated, then squeezed his hand. “Don’t give up. Keep praying.”

 

Sam squeezed back.

 

They watched the night sky for a long time.

 


	8. Going Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it, folks! To find out what happened to Dean, come back later for my next installment, which will be much less nice.

 

Sometime early in the morning Sam got a text from Dean. He read it and sighed.

 

Then he took the portal and threw it to the ground.

  
Time to go home.


End file.
